Kukla's Korner Hockey

Most press releases sent out by the NHL’s hockey teams are simple and dry updates, as you’d expect—but the minor leagues come up with some rather creative promotions sometimes.

The University of Michigan’s new football coach Rich Rodriguez has become enemy #1 in Wheeling, W.Va., and so The Wheeling Nailers (the “AA” affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers) decided to take advantage of the hard feelings.

WHEELING, WV – The Wheeling Nailers, the “AA” affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers, have announced today that this Saturday will officially be “Shred Rich Rodriguez Night” at WesBanco Arena when the Nailers host the Charlotte Checkers at 7:35pm.

Rodriguez, who took the time to shred every file in his WVU office before departing to become the head coach at the University of Michigan, will have the favor returned at the Nailers game on February 2.

The Nailers are offering discounted tickets to any fan that brings in a newspaper article or picture of the former West Virginia University football coach to contribute to the industrial sized paper shredder that will be stationed in the concourse.

Additionally any fan who wears WVU apparel to the game will receive $2 off their ticket price. Ohio State fans will also receive the discount by wearing their gear to the game to demonstrate their mutual distaste for Michigan.

Any fan caught wearing University of Michigan apparel will be charged double in order to help Rodriguez pay his $4 million buyout to WVU.

If your first name is Rich or your last name is Rodriguez your ticket will be $8.25. If your name happens to be Rich Rodriguez you will get in free. Except, of course, if you actually are Coach Rich Rodriguez then you will be barred from the building and escorted outside state lines.